Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

Officials talk N. Dubuque St. upgrade

When Liberty High opens on the southeastern edge of North Liberty in two years, a thousand students will fill a gleaming new facility.

What will not be new, however, at least under current plans, are the key rural roads that will deliver students to and from the school.

In a joint meeting Monday, local government officials discussed concerns about the how existing roads will handle the influx from the Iowa Community School District's third comprehensive high school, which broke ground this spring at the intersection of North Dubuque Street and North Liberty Road.

Additionally, with new residential development anticipated near the high school in the coming years, and the new Grant Elementary planned for a 2019 opening along North Liberty Road, officials put the wheels in motion for a traffic study of the area.

"We've already got issues up there — and this is not a can we can kick down the road," County Supervisor Mike Carberry said in the meeting at the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building. "The sooner we can work on this, the better."

The study will be conducted by the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County, and while there was talk at the meeting of collaboration, it's unclear how improvements to North Dubuque Street — a two-lane county road between Iowa City and North Liberty — would be funded.

Road improvements between Liberty High and Iowa City are not included in the county's five-year road plan, said Supervisor Terrence Neuzil. And, added Neuzil, the county does not typically invest in roads that will one day be incorporated within city limits.

Iowa City Council member Jim Throgmorton encouraged local governments to consider transportation alternatives to the new high school, which could cut down on traffic burdens. North Liberty Mayor Amy Nielsen, meanwhile, questioned whether the county would be willing to put future proceeds from the gas tax increase toward a project, as it did this year for Sutliff Road upgrades.

Neuzil, however, said it would be unlikely that the county would use gas tax funds for a project potentially involving other local governments.

According to a 2012 report by the MPOJC, North Dubuque Street just south of North Liberty city limits sees an average of 6,700 vehicles per day. With the existing road conditions, and taking into account expected growth, that count was projected to rise 8,400 by 2040, according to the study.

"That didn't take into account the high school, because it was conducted in 2012, but it does take into account growth of cities," said MPOJC executive director Kent Ralston.

Ralston said the planning organization would discuss studying the traffic effects of the new school at a September board meeting.

Reach Josh O'Leary at joleary@press-citizen.com or 887-5415, and follow him on Twitter at @JD_OLeary